US Midterm Elections: Democrat Amy Acton Defeats Trump-Backed Vivek Ramaswamy In Ohio Governor Race

Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race, becoming the first Democrat to win the office in 20 years and the first woman ever elected to the post. Acton overcame more than $100 million spent against her, along with a campaign backed by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The Associated Press reported Acton’s victory on Tuesday, while Reuters separately reported that US media had projected her win. The result puts a Democrat in the governor’s office in a state that has moved towards Republicans during the Trump era. Acton, a physician and former Ohio health director, will succeed Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who is term-limited.

Acton Wins Despite Heavy Spending And Trump’s Support For Ramaswamy

In the final pre-election filing, Acton's campaign raised $3.9 million over the two-week reporting period, compared with $1.5 million raised by Ramaswamy's campaign. The same filing showed Ramaswamy spending $51.1 million and Acton spending $26.2 million over more than four months.

The figures cover spending by the candidates' campaigns, while the more than $100 million cited by AP reflects the broader spending against Acton, including that by Ramaswamy's allies.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk contributed at least $5 million to a political action committee aligned with Ramaswamy, the Associated Press reported. The contribution was made to the committee, not directly to Ramaswamy's campaign. Trump and Vance also made repeated visits to Ohio in the final weeks of the campaign to rally support for Ramaswamy and Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted.

Acton’s campaign focused on affordability and access to healthcare, seeking to appeal to working- and middle-class voters amid concerns over the cost of living, fuel prices and the economic impact of Trump’s tariffs. It also sought to portray Ramaswamy, a wealthy biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 presidential candidate, as out of touch with ordinary Ohioans.

Attack Advertisement Featuring Acton’s Mother Drew Backlash

One of the most contentious episodes of the campaign involved an advertisement released by Ramaswamy’s campaign featuring Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur. The 60-second advertisement called Acton a liar about her childhood and urged voters not to support her.

Ramaswamy defended the advertisement during a campaign stop, saying: “The irony is they’re lying about an ad that is about lying,” the Associated Press reported.

The advertisement drew criticism from politicians across party lines. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican who had endorsed Ramaswamy, called for it to be taken down. Trump and Vance, however, defended the campaign’s decision to run it.

The controversy centred on Acton’s account of her childhood. She has spoken publicly about experiencing sexual abuse and housing insecurity while growing up in Youngstown. Court records and contemporaneous reporting examined by FactCheck.org corroborated key parts of her account.

Acton’s stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was charged with raping her when she was 12 and later indicted by a grand jury. He pleaded not guilty, failed to appear at a court hearing and fled the state before he could be tried. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother's custody following their stepfather's arrest. Acton has said she has not seen or spoken to her mother since she was 12.

Acton condemned the use of her family history in the campaign. “I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about,” she told Spectrum News.

Ramaswamy's campaign stopped airing the advertisement about a week before Election Day. He later said it had run to completion, while a campaign official told The Washington Post that it had “rotated off” like any other advertisement. AP reported that the campaign had spent about a quarter of its announced $4 million advertising budget.

Who Is Amy Acton?

Acton, 60, is a physician who previously served as director of the Ohio Department of Health. Republican Governor Mike DeWine appointed her to the position in 2019, and she became a prominent public face of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She appeared alongside DeWine during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Ohio introduced restrictions on businesses and schools. Ramaswamy and his allies later made her pandemic record a campaign issue, arguing that the restrictions had harmed Ohio.

Acton has no previous experience in elected office. Her campaign drew on her background in public health and her personal experiences growing up in Ohio, including periods of housing insecurity. The Associated Press reported that she spent part of her childhood homeless and lived in a tent for one winter.

A Democratic Return To Ohio’s Governor’s Office

Ohio, once a presidential swing state, has shifted towards Republicans during the Trump era.

DeWine’s decision to appoint then-Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to the US Senate also reshaped the Republican field, helping clear the way for Ramaswamy’s candidacy.